The “Internet of Things” (IoT) is a name for a known trend in information technology, which refers to various technologies and methods for devices to exchange data via the internet and other computer networks. Devices that exchange data may be provided with embedded electronic circuitry, software, sensors, actuators, and communication devices providing network connectivity.
These concepts are useful in industry, including industrial automation systems, machines, sensors, and so on. The “Industrial Internet of Things” (IIoT) may refer to the exchange of data between devices in an industrial context. An IoT architecture may be “industrial” by virtue of the types of connected devices, by the choice of communications protocols used to exchange data, the choice of network architecture employed, and physical characteristics of the devices and network components such as being able to cope with wide variations in temperature, or being robust to cope with vibrations or other harsh environmental conditions.
A plurality of devices such as including industrial automation systems, machines, sensors, automation systems, and so on may be connected to a remote service via a gateway device (which for convenience may simply be referred to as a “gateway”).
The remote service includes a platform arranged to receive data from the devices. It may also include modules that analyze the data, display the data, generate and send control signals for the devices, and send the control signals for adjusting the operation of the devices.
The remote service may be a cloud service but may also have a non-cloud implementation. In this disclosure, a “remote service” or a “remote platform” may include or be provided as a “cloud service” or “cloud platform,” respectively.
The gateway may be co-located or integrated with other network components such as a switch or router. Where the remote platform is a cloud platform, the gateway device includes a cloud gateway.
The gateway collects data from the devices and optionally may pre-process, analyze, or encrypt the data. The gateway forwards the data further to the remote platform. The gateway acts as an interface between the remote platform and the devices. It may also facilitate a closed loop control between the remote platform and the devices.
A gateway may be configured to collect a number of time series variables, files, alarms, and events data from the devices and the automation systems to which it is connected. This collection of data leads to additional network traffic and hence additional load on the device network.
The additional network load may cause congestion of the device network, lead to network packet delay and/or losses, and slow the device network down. In industrial applications, slowing down of the industrial automation network may result in loss of real time communication that may negatively impact productivity and safety.
There is a need for methods and systems that solve or ameliorate these or other problems.